Willpower is missing component in journey to better health

Kay CritesMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 6:00 pm, Thursday, January 8, 2009

Editor's Note: Family health issues recently forced freelance writer, Kay Crites, to take a strong look at her couch potato lifestyle and admit that changes were needed. She is chronicling her journey to (hopefully) better health.

By Kay Crites

MRT Correspondent

OK, so in my last article I mentioned that I'm on the downhill stretch. There's just over a month left until TD (test day), which means it's time to take inventory and gear up. During the past 4 1/2 months, I've talked about the importance of diet and exercise in my efforts to lower my cholesterol. I've talked about it a lot.

However, somehow I've managed to avoid the one most important element in making all of my wishes come true - willpower. And, especially during that most tempting of times - the holidays - I'm afraid willpower was in short supply.

In fact, I often found myself applying the Scarlett O'Hara plan. As Scarlett said in "Gone With the Wind:"

"I can't think about (fill in the blank with appropriate noun here) right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."

Strangely enough, in my head, this phrase is also usually accompanied by Little Orphan Annie singing "Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow. You're always a day away." Yeah, I know it's weird, but that's what happens.

However, a post-holiday visit with my scale and my looming TD made it all too apparent that tomorrow is no longer a day away. In complete disregard for the laws of physics, tomorrow has arrived, and it's time for willpower to make an appearance. Apparently I like to test myself, because I made two batches of peanut brittle this past weekend. I also made apple dumplings, and I walked back into the office after New Year to discover a huge plate of cookies and a large box of donuts.

I'd like to proudly announce that I passed all tests with flying colors. I'd like to - but it wouldn't be true. The reality was a little more like… well, like reality. I indulged more than I should with the peanut brittle, showed a little more restraint with the apple dumplings but managed to bypass the cookies and donuts completely.

So while trying to map out my plan of attack for getting control of my recently not-so-healthy eating habits in time to make a difference, I checked out a favorite Web site, Webmd.com, and discovered an intriguing little tool. It's a Cholesterol Roadmap.

The Cholesterol Roadmap takes you through 10 questions about your health. You can then print off the report results with some appropriate topics you might want to discuss with your doctor. It was interesting.

According to my results, my total cholesterol figure of 218 is borderline high (which I knew), and my goal for LDL ("bad" or "least desirable") cholesterol is less than 160. Mine's at 138. This certainly raised questions. Does this mean that I should lower my HDL level in order to bring the total below 200? Can you have too much of the HDL or "highly desirable" cholesterol?

Back to Webmd.com. Apparently, you can't have too much HDL. Sixty, or more, on HDL is optimal and helps protect against heart attacks. Mine is 56, which is acceptable. The LDL should be low, and the site says if "you're at high-risk, your goal may be less than 70."

With heart disease on both sides of my family, I'd say I'm at least at fairly high risk; obviously, I need to keep working to ensure that my 138 LDL comes down by at least 19 points. That would bring my cholesterol total below 200, but really, they'd like that 138 to be below 100.

So, I guess I have my work cut out for me.

Coming Jan. 25: Test Date.

My family loves this recipe, again largely because of the versatility. Replace the veggies with whatever your family likes. I often use mushrooms and asparagus.

In a large saucepan, bring water and carrots to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 minutes. If using green beans, add beans, cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until vegetables are tender crisp. (I don't precook the asparagus or the mushrooms that we like to use).

Drain and discard marinade from beef. Arrange three beans, one carrot strip and one pepper strip down the center of each beef slice and roll up. For each kabob use metal or soaked wooden skewers and thread two bundles on two parallel skewers.

If grilling the kabobs, coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until beef reaches desired doneness, turning once.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mustard and horseradish. Serve with kabobs.